Shloka 12
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
अन्योन्यं सम तदा योधा विकर्षन्तो विशाम्पते
anyonyam sama tadā yodhā vikarṣanto viśāmpate
Sañjaya disse: Então, ó senhor dos povos, os guerreiros—de forças iguais—puxavam e arrastavam uns aos outros no aperto da batalha, cada qual buscando subjugar o adversário. A cena mostra que, quando força encontra força, a vitória depende da resolução e da disciplina, e não apenas do vigor bruto.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that in righteous warfare (kṣatriya-dharma), when opponents are evenly matched, outcomes depend on steadfastness, training, and self-control rather than brute strength alone—an ethical reminder that power must be governed by discipline.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighters on the battlefield are locked in close struggle, physically pulling and dragging one another as the battle intensifies, indicating a stalemated, evenly balanced clash.